3 Days in Iceland: What You Should Know About Your Stopover Trip
It’s easier than ever to spend three days in Iceland:
WOW! Air frequently has $99 one-way sales to Iceland (and around $200 coming home)
Icelandair lets you add a free stopover – up to 7 days – on your way to mainland Europe
American, Delta, and United all fly there seasonally from their hubs
Of course, with all this competition, fares are rock bottom. I’ve seen them as low as $287 round-trip to visit the Land of Fire & Ice.
Planning a visit to Iceland? You should – it’s easier than ever
I say Iceland deserves a full week to appreciate. The weather is unpredictable and if you hit a rainy patch, that’ll be unfortch. That said, if you’ve never been it’s beyond worthwhile to add a bonus side trip to Iceland. A friend asked what to do with 3 days in Iceland, to which I said…
Even three days in Iceland is expensive
Link: What to Do in Iceland: West Coast
Link: What to Do in Iceland: South Coast
The rumors are true: Iceland will drain your wallet. The myths about $35 burgers, $10 beers, and $23 cocktails are all true. Their currency, the krona, is strong. The dollar is comparatively weak. Plus, Iceland is hot right now – can you blame them for jacking up prices?
Getting there is the easy part
Honestly, getting there is the cheapest part. But there are ways to save.
Grocery stores
You’re not going to Iceland for the food, which is mostly burgers and fish. They have great burgers and fish, but you’re going to Iceland for the nature. Find a grocery store – a Kronan or a Bonus – and stock up on bread, chips, sandwich fixins, and snacks.
A beer with THIS view? Yes, plz! But do save at grocery stores
Of course, you should have a pint of their local beer – Viking or Gull – and try some of the freshest wild-caught salmon in the world.
But considering you’ll be in a car much of the time, and restaurants may be far, you’ll want to have some stuff from the grocery store, anyway.
Iceland now has a Costco! So if you’re a member, a drive to the suburb of Kopavogur may be in order to get everything you need at warehouse prices. It’s only 12 minutes by car from the city center.
Rental cars
Link: Plan Iceland
Link: Iceland Car Rental
Expect to pay between $50 and $100 per day to rent a car – obviously dependent on your dates, availability, when you book, etc. I typically see the best prices from Iceland Car Rental. And Plan Iceland is another great resource to save some money.
You’re gonna wanna rent a car to see most of the iconic nature scenes in Iceland, like the Glacier Lagoon (Jokulsarlon), black sand beaches, and dozens of waterfalls.
Another huge thing to note is Iceland is obsessed with stick shift cars. If you want/need automatic, there’s an upcharge and also a shortage. So book early and shop around if it’s a dealbreaker (I know it is for me).
Hit the ground running
Link: Flybus
Here’s the “tea.” Those overnight flights to Iceland are a bitch and a half. You arrive at 6am after not sleeping all night. You’re tired. The airport is small and well-signed, but you still have to navigate, find the rental car booth, and you’re probably hungry.
First step: breathe. 
